"I think this is a place where you don't feel rushed. It just opens up your imagination." - Eileen Kunzman, festival founder

HOOVER, Alabama – Thousands of people flocked to a Hoover nature
preserve Saturday to peruse sculptures of butterflies, sample fresh-baked bread
and Alabama goat cheese, listen to local artists perform and more.

The Moss Rock Festival, now in its eighth year, continues Sunday
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual event, which focuses on sustainability and
green living, features about 180 eco-related booths, live music, food and
guided hikes in the 350-acre preserve.

Throughout the weekend, event organizers expect about 15,000
people to attend the festival, which was packed with patrons of all ages
Saturday afternoon.

Festival founder and organizer Eileen Kunzman attributes the
event's continued success to its focus on innovation and creativity.

"I think this is a place where you don't feel rushed," Kunzman
said. "It just opens up your imagination. You can get a creative spark that you
might not have gotten if you weren't here."

About 100 juried artists along three Artist Rows are displaying
their wares, many of which are inspired by nature or use natural and repurposed
materials.

The Eco District offers information about various green living
initiatives, from recycling electronics to composting to setting up home energy
systems.

The beer garden, accessible with a $15 ticket, features various craft
beers, both local and those made elsewhere.

Alexandra Stone, a co-owner of Stone Hollow Farmstead in
Harpersville, passed out samples of goat cheese spreads to eager festival
patrons. The farm produces 30 to 40 varieties of jams and jellies and about a
dozen different goat cheeses.

"We love to do this kind of stuff," Stone said of the festival. "It's
great to be around other artisan makers and support other Alabama products."

Linda Whitman and her husband have lived at The Preserve for
about 10 years. She said the Moss Rock Festival is her favorite event of the
year, particularly because she enjoys supporting the artists.

"It gets better every year," Whitman said. "This year I think
there are more vendors and more people."

The Moss Rock Festival will continue Sunday at The Preserve in
Hoover. Visit the event site for details on all
festival offerings.